Dahlia plant named ‘Karma Bon Bini’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Karma Bon Bini’, characterized by its straight and strong flowering stems; freely basal branching growth habit; cactus-type inflorescence form; yellow and red bi-colored ray florets; excellent garden performance; and excellent inflorescence longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Dahlia hybrida cultivarKarma Bon Bini.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahliaplant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Karma Bon Bini’.

The new Dahlia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new cut flower Dahlia cultivars with straightstrong flowering stems, decorative inflorescence form, attractive rayfloret colors, and good inflorescence longevity.

The new Dahlia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 1996 of the Dahlia hybrida cultivar Bridgeview Aloha, not patented,as the female or seed parent with an unidentified selection of Dahliahybrida, not patented, as the male or pollen parent. The new Dahlia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlledenvironment in Lisse, The Netherlands, in the summer of 1997. Theselection of this plant was based on its strong straight stems andattractive ray floret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia by cuttings was first conductedin a controlled environment in Lisse, The Netherlands in the Spring of1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Dahlia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Karma Bon Bini has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Karma Bon Bini’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Karma Bon Bini’ as a new and distinct Dahliacultivar:

1. Straight and strong flowering stems.

2. Freely basal branching growth habit.

3. Cactus-type inflorescence form.

4. Yellow and red bi-colored ray florets.

5. Excellent garden performance.

6. Excellent inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Dahlia are most similar to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Bridgeview Aloha. However, in side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the newDahlia differed from plants of the cultivar Bridgeview Aloha in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Dahlia were shorter than plants of the cultivarBridgeview Aloha.

2. Plants of the new Dahlia had stronger flowering stems than plants ofthe cultivar Bridgeview Aloha.

3. Plants of the new Dahlia had cactus-type inflorescences whereasplants of the cultivar Bridgeview Aloha had decorative-typeinflorescences.

4. Ray floret coloration of plants of the new Dahlia was stronger andresisted fading better than plants of the cultivar Bridgeview Aloha.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, an unidentified selection, in ray floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Dahlia showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newDahlia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Karma Bon Bini’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Karma Bon Bini’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and the following observations and measurements describeplants grown and flowered during the summer and early autumn in Lisse,The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under conditions whichapproximate those generally used in commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged between 15 and 30° C.and night temperatures ranged between 14 and 20° C. Plants were pinchedone time about three to four weeks after planting rooted cuttings.Plants were about four months old when the photographs and thedescription were taken.

Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida cultivar Karma Bon Bini.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.— Dahlia hybrida cultivar Bridgeview Aloha, notpatented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Dahlia hybrida, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type.—By vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 18° C. Winter: About 12days at 18° C.

Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 24 days at 18° C.Winter: About 27 days at 18 to 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched; older roots, fleshy.

Tuber description.—Shape: Fusiform. Clump diameter: About 25 cm. Color:Close to 199C.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial cactus-type inflorescence cut Dahlia. Straight andstrong flowering stems; inverted triangle; moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 120 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.

Flowering stem description.—Quantity of flowering stems per plant:Pinched plants will produce about 10 to 12 flowering stems. Length:About 80 cm. Diameter: Towards base: About 2.3 cm. Towards apex: About 3mm. Internode length: About 8 to 18 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect,straight. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color: Towards base, 146C; towardsapex, 146C overlain with anthocyanin, close to 177A.

Foliage description.—Arangement: Leaves opposite; leaves may be simpleor compound with three or five leaflets. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrate. Length: Simple leaves: About 11 cm.Compound leaves with three leaflets: About 19 cm. Compound leaves withfive leaflets: About 25 cm. Width: Single leaves: About 5.5 cm. Compoundleaves with three leaflets: About 10 cm. Compound leaves with fiveleaflets: About 13 cm. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture: Smooth,glabrous; leathery. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A.Developing foliage, lower surface: 191A. Fully developed foliage, uppersurface: 137A to darker than 137A. Fully developed foliage, lowersurface: 191A. Venation, upper surface: 138B. Venation, lower surface:144A. Petioles: Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: 146C.Color, lower surface: 146D.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Cactus-type inflorescence form. Inflorescences borne onterminals, arising from leaf axils. Ray and disc florets developacropetally on the receptacle. Inflorescences not fragrant.Inflorescences persistent.

Flowering response.—Flowering recurrent to continuous during the summerand autumn in The Netherlands.

Postproduction longevity.—On the plant, inflorescences maintain goodcolor and substance for about 23 days in an outdoor environment. As cutflowers, inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about 8 to12 days in an indoor environment.

Quantity of inflorescences per flowering stem.—One per lateral stem;about seven inflorescences per flowering stem; about 70 inflorescencesper plant develop during the growing season.

Inflorescence size.—Shape, in profile: Roughly hemispherical. Diameter:About 13 cm. Depth (height): About 9.5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 4.5cm; inconspicuous. Receptacle diameter: About 3.5 cm. Receptacle height:About 2.1 mm.

Inflorescence buds (just before opening).—Length: About 1.8 cm.Diameter: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 151A.

Ray florets.—Length, fully developed: About 6.4 cm. Width, fullydeveloped: About 2.1 cm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Apex: Acute. Base:Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; shiny. Number ofray florets per inflorescence: About 147 arranged in about 21 rows.Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: When opening, upper surface: Towardsbase, 1A; mid-section, 44A; towards apex, between 45A and 46A. Whenopening, lower surface: Towards base, 1B; towards apex, 46A. Fullyopened, upper surface: Towards base, 2A; mid-section, blend of 2A and45A; towards apex, 45A. Fully opened, lower surface: 2B; towards theapex, 2B blended with 43B.

Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 37. Shape:Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Base: Attenuate. Length: About1.6 cm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter, base: About 3 mm. Color:Immature: 2C. Mature: Apex: 21A. Mid-section: 4A. Base: 2C.

Phyllaries.—Quantity: One whorl with about 5 to 6 phyllaries. Shape:Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Length: About 1 cm.Width: About 4.6 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,glabrous. Color, upper surface: 146B. Color, lower surface: 146A.

Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 28 cm. Length, fourthpeduncle: About 22 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About 22 cm. Diameter:About 2.4 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146C;towards the apex, 146C overlain with close to 177A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamenquantity: About five per floret. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anthercolor: 21B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 17A. Gynoecium: Presenton ray and disc florets. Pistil quantity: One per floret. Pistil length:About 5 mm. Stigma color: 24A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:150C. Ovary color: 2D.

Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toDahlias has not been observed on plants grown under commercialgreenhouse or outdoor conditions.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed to bevery tolerant to wind, rain and full sun conditions. Plants of the newDahlia have been observed to be tolerant temperatures from 0 to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named‘Karma Bon Bini’, as illustrated and described.